In the loving memory of
by Ajalea
Summary: Yuuri finds Victor looking at some old pictures taken with his late pet. Together they reminiscence about their dogs and smile at their memories, because together, they'll be able to move on.


**I wish I could have made a better summary. Alternative summary: Makkachin died and Victor can't get over it until Yuuri decides to help with stories about his own pet.**

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"Victor?" Yuuri poked his head around the corner. "Can you-"

Victor didn't look up from the book he was reading, nor did he acknowledge Yuuri, something he usually did.

"Victor?" Yuuri approached him. "What are you looking at?"

"Photos." Again, Victor didn't look up.

Yuuri smiled when he saw Victor gently touching a photo of a young him and a small Makkachin, posing in front a foreign church. "He looks so tiny."

Victor nodded to the photobook. "He was only three months when I got him and I used to take him everywhere."

"I've only known Makkachin for a short while, and I don't know how he was when he was younger. Can you tell me?" Yuuri leaned over the back of the couch to take a better look at the pictures. He pretended he didn't see the tear rolling down Victor's cheek.

"He was… so full of life. Every time I walked him he would jump around and checking out random things, like a garbage can or a lost show. Here, there's this one photo where he looked like a snowman." Victor flipped through several pages and pointed at a picture. Yuuri had to admit Makkachin indeed looked more like a yeti than a poodle. He didn't seem to mind though.

"He looks happy," Yuuri carefully commented.

"I'd like to think he was."

"Of course he was!" Yuuri put a hand in Victor's neck, squeezing it. "He had you."

Victor finally looked at him, his eyes big, waiting for confirmation. "Do you really think so?"

Yuuri nodded like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"Thank you, Yuuri," Victor smiled.

"Can you tell me more about these photographs? They look nice." Yuuri gestured at a few of a city he didn't recognize.

Victor's eyes followed Yuuri's hand. "Oh those? Those were of our first holiday with just the two of us."

Yuuri rested him arms on the couch, not really wanting to sit down, but not wanting to stand up either. "Where did you go?"

"Amsterdam," Victor said as he turned over a page. "You know it?"

"Can't say I do," Yuuri had to admit.

"It's a capital of a country in Europe," Victor started to explain, "and while it's mostly known for its canals and coffeeshops, it also has a lot of museums and a huge park to walk your dog. And you can eat outside at restaurants, so it's okay if you have a dog with you."

Yuuri looked at the photos Victor was showing him. None was taken inside a building. "Did you even look inside those museums?"

Victor simply shrugged. "They didn't allow pets."

Yuuri had to laugh. "What else did you do when you were there, besides not visiting museums?"

"Uh, eat nice food, walk with Makkachin, play with Makkachin, take pictures with Makkachin-"

Yuuri interrupted him. "So let me get this straight. You went to a different country just to spend time with Makkachin?"

"Yes." Victor said matter-of-factly.

Yuuri shook his head in amazement. "You really are something."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Victor frowned.

"Nothing." Yuuri patted Victor's hair. With his other hand, he pointed at a photo of Makkachin with a flower crown on his head, his eyes bright and looking into the camera lens. "There he reminds me of Vicchan."

"You told me about him before, he was a poodle too, wasn't he?"

" _She_. But yeah, she was." Yuuri smiled at a memory of her. "Even when I was young, I was a big fan of yours and I begged my parents to get me a dog like yours." Yuuri didn't look at Victor while confessing it. "I named it Victor, but when we found out she was actually a girl, it naturally became Vicchan."

"Yuuuuuuuuuuuri." Victor's head was really close to Yuuri's. "Did you really name your dog after me?"

Yuuri turned his head away from Victor. "I might have done so, yes."

Because he looked away, he couldn't see the hug coming. Before he knew it, Yuuri was enveloped in Victor's arms. "That's cute. Thank you."

"What are you thanking me for? And let me go!" Yuuri struggled against Victor's strong arms.

"No. Tell me about Vicchan first."

"Alright, alright, but you're going to let me sit down first, before we both fall over." Yuuri patted Victor's arms.

Victor reluctantly let go and Yuuri sat down next to him. The moment he sat down, Victor clung to him again. Yuuri let it happen, being used to it and all.

"There was this one time some kids from my neighborhood made her a flower crown and wanted her to wear it. I think my parents still have pictures of that day," Yuuri mused, reliving that time, "they'd come up to me and said Vicchan was the sort of dog that would look very pretty when they'd wear one and I had to agree with them. I'll show you those pictures once we get back to Japan, okay?"

Victor nodded against Yuuri's shoulder. "Tell me more."

"Okay, let's see…" Yuuri put his arm around Victor. "Vicchan loved the sea, I couldn't get her away from it for hours once we got to the beach, but one time we were there and I lost sight of her. Couldn't find her at all, so I ran home to get my mom and together we looked all over the beach and even the shops close to the beach. It took us hours."

Victor turned his head so he could look at Yuuri's face. "Where was she?"

Yuuri let out a laugh. "Well, you see, there was this huge pile of seaweed – that we checked by the way, but we couldn't see her – and after not finding her anywhere else, we sat down next to it, already considering a kidnapping – dognapping? – when she came out of the pile herself. She must have fallen asleep and didn't hear us calling for her. She gave my mom almost a heart attack. She looked like a sea monster with all that weed clinging to her."

"Another time Vicchan was allowed to walk on the ice, just that once. Maybe she thought it was like the sea, because she dashed to it and slipped on her second step on the ice." Yuuri laughed. "It took her a few tries to stand up and when she could, she was off the ice and wouldn't dare to go back."

"Why was she allowed to walk on the ice?"

"I believe the building was being renovated soon after that, so there were closing the rink for some weeks." Yuuri frowned. "A few days later, I left for Detroit."

"You miss her, don't you?" Victor murmured, taking notice in Yuuri's unspoken words.

"I do, yeah, but it's been over six years since I last saw her and over time the pain had eased a little."

"She would have been good friends with Makkachin."

"I agree."

"I miss Makkachin."

"I know you do." Yuuri patted Victor's hair again. "But Victor, you have to cheer up a little. It's been four months and Makkachin wouldn't want you to keep being sad and neither do I." He grinned. "Besides, if we leave now, I think we'll be just in time to see Yurio's practice run. I'm curious how distracted he'll be now that Otabek has arrived too."

"You're right," Victor smiled, "as always. Makkachin would want me to have fun with my friends." He gave Yuuri a peck on the lips before he turned to grab his bag and got up. "How long do you think before Yurio will come to us with dating advice?"

"Now that Otabek is staying here for at least the rest of the season?" Yuuri thought about it, standing up too. "I give him two weeks tops."

"I bet for one of your mom's katsudon it's gonna be less than a week." Victor grabbed his keys and walked out without waiting for Yuuri, who had to run after him.

Yuuri, happy Victor set his mind to other things, followed him. "That's a deal!"

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 **I'm sorry if this has too many mistakes and if the end seems a little rushed, but it's currently past 4am and I had to get this out of my system ^^' All kudos and comments are really appreciated!**

 **Thank you~**


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